FREDERICTON – Although delayed, the 19th annual Blessing of the Bikes and Breakfast took place, in person, on Aug. 14 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in West Saint John.
This event typically is held at the beginning of the motorcycle season, but the last two years have caused some changes. In 2020, the Rev. Jonathan Springthorpe blessed the riders and their bikes via a video message that was posted on social media sites. This year, another video was shot and posted in May. Then came the word that everyone had been waiting for – New Brunswick was moving to Phase Green of the pandemic recovery! Lead organizer Paul Desjardins, church member and biker, went to work planning a summer version of the event.
The number of motorcycles is always highly dependent on the weather, making it difficult to determine how many breakfasts to prepare. And of course, bikers require a hearty breakfast, and the folks at Good Shepherd certainly produced one! About 60 bikes rumbled into the parking lot and about 100 people were fed. After breakfast, Mr. Springthorpe blessed the bikers and their bikes, and with a roar of engines, the parking lot emptied.
The New Brunswick Anglican
Canterbury experience was remarkable